Medway RC Laser Club Winter Series 2025 at Barton's Point Coastal Park - Week 6
by Jamie Blair 24 Feb 2025 14:18 GMT
23 February 2025
Medway RC Laser Club Winter Series week 6 © Fiona Blair
As forecast, we would see winds from the SSW and starting at 15 knots. The direction SSW and with the gusts it felt more like 18-20kts. No question on rig size - the smallest D rig.
Some absentees at the Dinghy Show, but seven on the water was a competitive group to race from a square favoured line for the triangle sausage two lap course.
Jamie Blair (51) took the first race but time out in race two brought Charles Pegram (72) to the front of the fleet. Behind him Jon Moon (84) and Tony Alexander (04) having trouble at Mark 1 gave Charles some breathing space to finish with a bullet.
Jamie back on the water for race three saw him record three race wins making the most of good starts amongst the pack and keeping out of the choppy water close to the leeward mark.
Race six saw Jon get his boat to the front and keep all behind him to take the win. Race seven saw another different name on the top spot. Roger Gibbs (32) taking to the flatter water made best progress up the second beat and defied the nose diving down the run.
At the break Jamie was ahead, closely followed by Roger, Jon and Charles. The wind was building and along with it the wave heights making tacking and upwind boat speed difficult with the smallest of sails. Downwind was quick when you could keep the bow out the water! During this phase of the racing the maximum local recorded wind speed was 35 kts.
A new leader for Race 8 - Bob Woolford (76) unscathed after a scramble at Mark 1 and a number of second attempts had a good buffer to sail the course and despite the efforts of those behind to close the gap, he was pleased to get his first ever win. Spencer Pope (62) closed the gap and lodged a second.
Race eight saw another race winner - Tony with a great position at the start and covering the rest of the fleet for all of the race kept all at bay.
Race eleven saw Spencer dismasted following contact and race winner Jamie blow ashore in the ever increasing wind and waves the session was ended.
Jamie won the session.
Our next Sunday racing is scheduled for the 2nd of March.
Week 6 Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 51 | Jamie Blair | 1 | (DNS) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | (DNF) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 2nd | 32 | Roger Gibbs | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | ‑6 | 1 | 3 | ‑6 | 3 | 2 | 21 |
| 3rd | 84 | Jon Moon | 4 | 4 | (DNS) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | ‑6 | 27 |
| 4th | 4 | Tony Alexander | 3 | 2 | 2 | ‑6 | ‑7 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 28 |
| 5th | 72 | Charles Pegram | ‑6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | ‑6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 36 |
| 6th | 76 | Bob Woolford | 5 | 5 | 5 | ‑7 | 6 | ‑7 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 45 |
| 7th | 62 | Spencer Pope | (DNS) | (DNS) | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | DNF | 2 | 4 | 7 | DNF | 49 |